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‘At War With Islam’: Military Instructor Suspended Over Controversial Course Materials

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Longtime readers may recall that a firestorm of controversy recently hit the National Defense University’s Joint Staff College over accusations that one of its instructors had been teaching a course that suggested that the United States was “at war with Islam.” Now, Reuters reports that top military brass have relieved the instructor of that course, Lt. Col Matthew A. Dooley, of his duties following a review of the course materials:

Colonel David Lapan, a spokesman for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Wednesday a review of the course found that “institutional failures and in oversight and judgment” led to the course being modified over time in a way “that portrayed Islam almost entirely in a negative way.”

“The inquiry recommends the course be redesigned to include aspects of U.S. policy and reduce its reliance on external instruction,” Lapan said in a statement. It also recommended improving oversight of course curricula.

“The elective course’s military instructor has been relieved of his instructor duties until his permanent change of station, which was previously planned for 2012,” Lapan said.[...]

Navy Captain John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman, said in April that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was deeply concerned about some of the materials being taught in the course, such as the slide suggesting the United States was at war with Islam.

“That’s not at all what we believe to be the case. We’re at war against terrorism, specifically al Qaeda, who has a warped view of the Islamic faith,” Kirby said.